Today's News

A motorcyclist was killed early Monday after he was struck by two vehicles in Indian Land.
The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Breck Higgins, 49, of Lancaster.
Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Gary Miller said the collision happened about 5:30 a.m. near the intersection of Marvin and Henry Harris roads, about 3 miles outside Fort Mill.
Miller identified the other two drivers as Joseph Michael Hatten of Indian Land and John Joseph Donohue of Fort Mill.

Amid turmoil around the country over the removal of Confederate-era monuments from public spaces, Sen. Greg Gregory wants to add one at the S.C. Capitol.
It would honor Beaufort-native Robert Smalls, a slave and skilled boat pilot who secretly organized a crew, stole a Confederate ship and sailed it out of Charleston Harbor in 1862, surrendering to the Union blockade out in the Atlantic.

INDIAN LAND – A Lancaster County Council committee is targeting a 2,200-square-foot space at The Commons of Doby’s Bridge as a possible site for satellite county government offices in the Panhandle.
The strip center is at 8451 Charlotte Highway, just past the Gate station on U.S. 521 North.
“It has come at a very opportune time that we didn’t know about before,” said County Attorney John Weaver, who has been scouting for an Indian Land location since May.

As debate over the Affordable Care Act swirls in Washington, insurance officials this week agreed to allow South Carolina’s only individual plan on the state’s ACA exchange to raise its premiums 31 percent next year.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina initially asked for a 33.4 percent increase, saying this year’s premiums did not generate nearly enough to cover the insurer’s claims, taxes and administrative expenses.

At the start of his career, Lloyd Davis drew a circle on a map, showing everything within 200 miles of his hometown in Kentucky.
It was 1964, and he was looking for his first teaching job. He found it 150 miles away in Virginia, making $4,600 a year.
Last month at the Lancaster High School Career Center, he started his 54th year in the classroom.
“I’m not ready to give it up,” said the 75-year-old drafting teacher. “I feel like I’ve got a few more good years in me.”

A Lancaster man has been charged with heroin trafficking after his wife accused him of beating her and holding her against her will.
In addition to the heroin charge, William James Beckham, 43, of 1665 Ruth St., is also charged with first-degree domestic violence and kidnapping.
According to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office incident report, the victim said she snuck out of the house about 5 a.m. Sept. 9 and walked 3 miles for help at the home of a woman she knew, who then called deputies.

HEATH SPRINGS – Three years ago the S.C. High School League (SCHSL) celebrated 100 years of history.
The June 1, 2014, edition of The State newspaper recorded the results provided by SCHSL by decades for various sports.

A new farm in Van Wyck dedicated to children with special needs raised nearly $1,700 during its grand opening Sept. 16.
Bristol’s For Joy, a 20-arce farm, was started by Rebecca Templeton Barrows to create a safe, welcoming place for kids with special needs, including her 6-year-old daughter, Bristol, who is autistic.
The farm was filled with more than 80 smiling faces on grand opening day.
Kids and parents rode horses, petted ferrets, chickens and goats, and won raffled prizes.

Lancaster Mayor John Howard suffered a hemorrhagic stroke last week and spent four days at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
He was released Monday and says doctors expect a full recovery.
“I dodged a bullet,” Howard, 67, said Wednesday, after springing the news on his fellow members at the Breakfast Rotary Club and then being swamped by their well-wishes.
“I am fine,” he said in an interview. “I’m weak – I’ll be the first to tell you that – but I am cognizant and confident.”

The Humana Building on White Street still belongs to Humana, but county officials have already applied for a $500,000 federal grant to renovate it to house the S.C. Department of Social Services.
“It is a little of the cart before the horse,” said County Administrator Steve Willis, noting that the grant application was filed Sept. 12. He said the county still hasn’t acquired the building, but could in coming months.